Teen's sketches illustrate book on a Laurel church

NEIGHBORS

FOR ATHOLTON High freshman, and soon-to-be-sophomore, Ana Miranda, it was an eventful year. In addition to a normal load of courses and commitments to soccer and band, the North Laurel resident held another job this year - that of illustrator.

Ana, 16, drew the pen-and-ink sketches for a 432-page history, "A Church and Its Village: St. Philip's, Laurel, Maryland," published this year, in a print run of 1,100 copies, by St. Philip's Vestry, the Episcopal church's governing body.

Ana was surprised to be tapped for the project by author Sally Bucklee, a St. Philip's parishioner.

Ana likes to draw, but she had no aspirations to be an artist. Her mother, Susan, is a friend of the author. When Bucklee sent out word among parishioners that she needed an illustrator, Susan volunteered the services of her husband and daughter.

Her husband agreed to help, but eventually Ana became the sole illustrator. She drew pictures of the Gothic Revival church's stained-glass windows and the cross on the high altar.

"I'm really excited about the book," Ana said. "I never expected to have pictures in a book [that] people actually wanted to buy. I like the feeling."

Will she pursue a career as a professional artist? "Right now, I have no idea what I want to do, but it's a possibility; or teaching because I like kids, or becoming a soccer player," she said.

Writing the history of St. Philip's, Laurel and its surrounding areas has been a long-term project for Bucklee. In 1973, she had collaborated with amateur historian John Brennan to write a brief history of St. Philip's. In the decades since that mimeographed publication, Bucklee has received boxes of church and historical materials from the families of parishioners who died and from those who moved away. The documents accumulated until someone suggested that an updated version of the book be done for the church's 150th anniversary in 1998.

It took a while to write. From research with F. Garner Ranney, the archivist of the Diocese of Maryland, Bucklee learned that St. Philip's had been a mission church, or offshoot, of Christ Church in Howard County. Among the founding members of the church were Col. Horace Capron, the manager of Savage Mills, and his wife, Victoria Snowden.

As Bucklee learned more, the book grew in size and scope. "We called it `A Church and Its Village,'" she said. "It isn't just about the church. It's about the whole area - about how the Upper Patuxent was settled by the Snowden family. They came over in the 1600s and settled in [what was then] Anne Arundel and Prince George's counties. Ultimately, [they] were active in founding and sustaining St. Philip's, but they were also building the factory and the water power which brought people to live here."

Bucklee called on parishioners for help. Stanley Hunter, an astrophysicist, and his wife, Michele, a children's librarian at the Savage branch library, contributed many of the maps for the book. Scott Aker, also provided maps. Elizabeth Compton, co-founder of the Laurel Museum and past president of the Laurel Historical Society, contributed her expertise.

The books are available by mail from St. Philip's Episcopal Church, 522 Main St., Laurel 20707. Each book is $22.95, including shipping and handling.

Student government

Atholton High students from each class were elected to office in the Student Government Association for the 2001-2002 school year.